Can conveying and transfer apparatus



March 28, 1944. w, DE C 1 2,344,975

' 'CANfiONVEYING AND TRANSFER APPARATUS Origipal Filed July 15, 1940 a Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS March 28, 1944. w. DE BACK CAN CONVEYING ANDTRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed July 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R O T N E v m M4? ATTORNEY 5 March 28, 1944. w. DE BACK CAN CONVEYING AND TRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed July 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENT OR ATToRNEY Patented Mar. 28, 1944 CAN CONVEYING AND TRANSFER APPARATUS William De Back, Niagara Falls, N. Y., assigncr Company, Incorporated,

to Chisholm-Ryder Niagara Falls, N York 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a can conveying and transfer apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus for feeding cans individually to the can carriers of an endless conveyer, such conveyer forming part, for example, of can draining and filling apparatus.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 345,480, filed July 15, 1940, for Can draining and filling apparatus, now Patent No. 2,310,940, dated February 16, 1943.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient transfer device for moving cans, with or without foodstuffs packed therein, from a supply chain individually to the can carriers of a conveyer, the transfer device moving the cans into the carriers in proper timed relation.

Another object is to or spilling any contents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. I is a top plan view of a can conveying and transfer apparatus embodying my invention,

ing the subject of my said application Serial No. 345,480 of which the present application is division and to which reference is made for a more complete disclosure of the features not directly concerned With the subject matter of the present application.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal section, taken on line 2-2, Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical tion, taken on line 33, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse section. taken on line 4-4, 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical, enlarged. transverse section, taken on line 55, Fig. 2 showing a can being discharged from the can conveyer and another can being admitted to rephce the can so discharged.

SEC-

Y., a corporation of New Fig. 6 is a vertical, fragmentary, enlarged, transverse section, taken on line fi5, Fig. 1 and showing a can being transferred from the supply chain to a can carrier on the main conveyer.

The apparatus embodying my invention is shown as carried by a frame, indicated generally t 25, which includes side plates 2|, 22 and suitable cross members to provide a rigid frame. The cans to be processed are received in can carriers, indicated generally at 25, which can carriers are mounted on an endless conveyer chain 26. This chain is carried at one end by a drive sprocket 2? and at its opposite end by an idler sprocket 28, the sprocket 21 being mounted on a drive shaft 29 suitably journaled in the side plates 2| and 22 of the machine frame as shown in Fig. 4 and the idlersprocket 28 being mounted on an idler shaft 39 which is also journaled in the side plates 2| and 22 of the frame.

A drive gear 35, as to the drive shaft 29, this gear c5 being driven by a pinion 3'! fast to an overhead countershaft 38. The shaft 33 is suitably journaled in a gear casing 39 mounted on th frame 20 and is driven by a sprocket 41] which is fast to the shaft 38. The sprocket 40 is connected by a drive chain 4! with a sprocket 42 fast to a main drive shaft 43, this drive shaft being suitably journaled on the side plates El and 22 of the main frame. A drive pulley 44 is fast to the opposite end of the main drive shaft 43, this drive pulley 44 being connected by a belt 45 with any suitable source of power such as the pulley 46 at the end of the shaft M of an electric motor 48 mounted on a bracket 49.

The cans 53 are placed upon a feeding conveyer, indicated generally at 5|, the upper run of this feeding conveyor being arranged alongside of the line of can carriers 25 traversing the upper stretch of the chain 26 and moving at a slightly higher rate of speed to insure an adequate supply of cans fOr transference into the can carriers best shown in Fig. 4, is fast 235. For this purpose a drive sprocket 53 is fast to the shaft 29, as best shown in Fig. 4, and an idler sprocket (not shown) is arranged on the same side of and adjacent the opposite end of the frame 20, these sprockets being connected by a chain 55 and being arranged alongside and being of larger diameter than the sprockets 21 and 28 so that the chain 55 is driven at a slightly higher speed than the chain 25.

The links of the chain 55 carry a plurality of horizontal slats 56, these slats forming an extended upper surface for receiving the cans 56. In order to prevent sagging of the upper stretch of the chain 55, the opposite ends of the slats 59 are supported on horizontal rails 51 and 58, these rails, being mounted on the main frame of the machine in any suitable manner.

7 The chain 55 is moved to feed the cans 50 toward the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and into engagement with a timed feeding screw indicated generally at 69 which screw is synchronized with the operation of the conveyer chain 26 so as to shift one can 59 from the feeding conveyer 5! into each passing can carrier on the conveyer chain 26. Any excess of cans 5G placed on the feeding conveyer 5| are held back by the screw 69 until fed in the proper timed relation to the can carriers 25.

For this purpose, the screw 69 comprises a shank or horizontal shaft 6| which is arranged over the feeding conveyer in the path of the cans carried thereon, the screw being arranged at an angle to the line of movement of the cans on the feeding conveyer so as to gradually displace the cans on the feeding conveyer laterally toward the center of the machine and into the can carriers 25 carried by the conveyer chain 26. The shaft or shank 5! 0f the screw 69 is journaled at one end in a bearing 63 mounted on the main frame of the machine and at its opposite end in a bearing 64 in th gear case 39 which houses the gears carried by the overhead countershaft 38. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the overhead countershaft 38 carries a beveled gear which is preferably made integral with the driving pinion 31, this beveled gear 65 meshing with and driving a beveled pinion 88 fast to the end of the screw shaft 6|. The thread 10 on the screw shaft BI is of peculiar form to effect the timed transfer of the cans 50 into the can carriers 25. This thread 19 is generall in the form of a spiral, its convolutions generating adjacent the bearing 63, and increasing in pitch and lateral amplitude toward the bearing 64. This thread terminates at its maximum amplitude in an enlarged solid portion H, the groove l2 between the convolutlons of the thread 18 being continued into this solid portion but being formed therein .to become rapidly shallower so as to form a cam groove 13 which effects a rapid lateral transfer of each can 50 which is caught in the groove 12 and carried down this groove into the cam groove 13. This cam groove 13 is formed to substantially merge into the cylindrical surface 14 of the enlarged solid portion H as best shown in Fig. 2.

The first of the line of cans assembled on the feeding conveyer 5| is urged into engagement with the lead end of the thread 19 of the screw 69 by a leaf spring 15 which is secured to the outer face of a bracket 16 which is in turn mounted on the main frame of the machine. This first can is picked up by the first convolution of the thread of the screw which is rotating so as to move this can in the direction of movement of the two conveyers 5i and 26. The can so moving engages the shaft 6| of th screw Bil and since this shaft is set at an angle, the movcan is forced laterally against the resistance ofthe spring 15. When this can passes to the second convolution of the thread of the screw, the small initial convolution of the screw picks up the next succeeding can in the line assembled on the conveyer 5!. The cans thereby travel along the groove 12 between the several convolutions of the thread 10 in procession, one between adjacent convolutions, and when the first reaches the continuation 13 of this groove in the enlargeing ment H, the rapid change of the form of this groove quickly forces the leading can laterally into the adjacent can carrier 25. It will be seen that the screw 60 can readily be designed and timed to deposit one can in each of the can carriers 25 as the series of can carriers pass by and that this transfer of the can is effected positively and without danger of jamming. The completion of the insertion of the cans in the can carriers 25 can b effected by the inclined end 11 of a guide rail 18, this end engaging each can as it is moved along by the conveyer chain 26 and completing its lateral movement into its carrier. This rail 18 is suitably supported on small posts 19 and extends around the driving sprocket 21, its lower end being secured to the outside of a plate 89 projecting downwardly from the frame along the corresponding side of the lower stretch of the chain 26.

Each of the can carriers 25 can be of any suitable construction and is shown 'as comprising a base plate having a downwardly projecting central lug 86 which carries a pivot pin 81, this pin extending horizontally when the can carrier is on the upper and lower stretches of the chain 26, and in the direction of movement of the carrier. This pivot pin extends through ears 88 projecting laterally outwardly from alternate links of the chain 26 so that the base is free to swing from side to side. On its can receiving side the base plate 85 of each can carrier is beveled as indicated at 89 on its upper side so that transfer of a can from the feeding chain 5% to each base plate 85 by the screw 60 is effected smoothly and without interruption. The opposite edge of the base plate 85 is indented, as indicated at 98, and the extensions formed by this indentation are beveled on their undersides, as indicated at 9|, so as to facilitate the discharge of the cans from the carrier as hereinafter described.

Each of the base plates is shown provided along its advancing and trailing sides with front and rear Walls 92, 93, these walls thereby extending transverse .to the direction of movement of the carriers and forming an open sided pocket or cradle for receiving the cans. These walls 92 and 93 can be of any suitable form but, as best shown in Fig. 2, are preferably tapered toward a thicker center so as to insure the free entry and proper positioning of the cans in the can carriers, and the free discharge of the cans therefrom.

On the discharge side of each of the base plates 85 of the can carriers, two posts 95, 96 rise from the side walls 92, 93, these posts being preferably formed integral with these walls and the base plate and being bent laterally at their upper ends so as to terminate approximately over the center of the can carrier. At their upper ends these posts 95, 96 carry the pivot pins 91 of a swinging top member 98. This swinging top member is generally of round cup-shaped form having a bottom 99 which is smooth on its underside to engage the upper rim of the open cans 59 and this bottom also being slotted, as indicated at I90, 50 as to form a screen for the open end of a can 58 so engaged. On the can receiving side of the can carrier the bottom 99 is provided with an undercut bevel IUI to facilitate the movement of the cans to a position thereunder. The side Walls I02 of this swinging top member 98 rise from the edges of the bottom 99 and at the discharge side of the can carrier, this side wall is formed to provide a laterally extending lip H13 this lip overbalancing the swinging top member so that it normally falls to the generally upright position illustrated at the upper left of Fig. 3, second carrier from the left. Each lip I 03 is also provided on its underside with 2. lug I06, this lug functioning to control the swinging movement of the swinging top member through its engagement with a controlling guide rail indicated generally at I07.

This rail I! is suitably supported along the upper stretch of the conveyer chain 26 at the and discharging stations. This rail starts at a comparatively low elevation, as indicated at I 09, and rises to its maximum height and proceeds generally horizontally, as indicated at I I0 along the discharging station and the can feeding station. By the form of the rail I81, the position of the swinging top 98 is controlled to permit the automatic feeding and discharge of the cans 50 onto and from the main conveyer. At the feeding station the lug I96 of the swinging top 98 of the can carrier riding along the top of the rail I01. drops into a depression III of this rail. This position of the parts is illustrated in Fig. 6. Since the lip I83 over-balances the top 98 in its movement around the pivots S'i, the beveled intake side I IJI of this swinging top rises and its discharge side drops on encountering the depression, so that the top is held in the slightly angular position shown in Fig. 6, this position insuring the ready insertion of a can 50 onto the base plate 35 of the can carrier and under the swinging top as by the timed feed screw 50. As the screw is moving the can toward the center of the can carrier, the lug I06 rides up an incline of the rail I 0'! so that the bottom 99 of the swinging top 93 is brought into parallelism with the rim of the can. It will be understood that the relation of this rise to the feeding of the can into the can carrier by the screw 68 is not critical inasmuch as the insertion of the can itself would i bring the top 98 into approximate parallelism with the rim of the can. When the can is centered relative to the carrier and the swinging top 98, as illustrated in Fig. 4, there is no further necessity for the rail I51 since the swinging top 98 is held against swinging by the can itself. On passing beyond this rail, therefore, the can is held between the base plate 85 and the swinging top until the lug H38 reengages the part of the rail Ill'I which rises to the elevation charging station. When this is engaged, the swinging top 98 is brought into substantially exact parallelism with the rim of the can so that the can can be readily slid out from under the top without havingthe top cock or swing so as to interfere with the free discharge of the can.

The cans so loaded onto the carriers on the upper run of the conveyer are conveyed around the right hand end of the chain conveyer, as viewed in Fig. 3, and are thence conveyed along the lower run of the chain conveyer in an inverted position, from which the cans are conveyed around the left hand end of the chain conveyer, as viewed in Fig. 3, to the upper run of the chain conveyer where they are brought in an upright position to the discharge station,

This discharge of the cans from the carriers 7.5 as they pass the discharge station is shown as comprising a cam extension H on the fixed bracket '56, which extension projects into the path of the cans, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5, from the right hand or feeding side, as shown in Fig. 5. When the cans encounter this fixed discharge cam H5, they are forced out of the carriers and since at this time the swinging tops 98 of the H0 at the discan carriers aresupported on the high straight part III} of the rail I01, thisdischarge of the cans is not interfered with by any irregular or cooking movement of the swinging tops 98. The cans are discharged by this stationary cam onto the upper horizontal face of a can discharge wheel I I6 which is suitably journaled on the main frame of the machine to rotate about a vertical axis. The depending shaft II1 of this can discharge wheel, as best shown in Fig. 5, carries a sprocket II8 which is driven by a chain H9. This'chain, as best shown in Fig. 4, is driven by a sprocket 28 which is formed integrally with a beveled pinion I2I meshing with a pinion I22 fast to the horizontal shaft 29 from which the conveyer chains 26 and 5| are driven. wheel H6 is therefore rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 and is driven in synchronism with the movement of the can carriers. To facilitate the transfer from the can carriers onto the discharge wheel H6, the periphery of the can wheel is beveled on its upper side, as indicated at I23, so as to fit under the bevels 9| at the discharge side of the base plates of the can carriers. By so beveling the can discharge wheel H6 and the discharge sides of the base plates 85, it will be seen that the transfer of the cans to the can wheel by the stationary cam H5 is effected smoothly in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5.

In my said copending application Serial No. 345,480, of which the present application is a division, the purpose of providing the pivotal mounting 81 for each can carrier 25 was for the purpose of tipping each can carrier and can while being filled with a liquid as from an overhead reservoir I 54. As this feature does not form a part of the present invention, the upper stretch of the conveyer chain can be regarded as sup ported to traverse a straight path between the sprockets 28 and 21 by a rail I 5| engaging the rollers of this chain and the bottom plates 85 of the can carriers can be regarded as held in a horizontal position by side rails I62, I63 along which these bottom plates ride, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. During the passage of the can carriers 25 around the sprockets 21 and 28 and the lower stretch of the conveyer chain 25, they are also prevented from tipping about the pivot pins 87 as an axis. For this purpose, a pair of stationary semi-circular rails I85, i236 are arranged concentric with the driving sprocket 21, these rails engaging the opposite sides of the bottom plates 85 of the can carriers as they travel around the sprocket 21 so as to hold these plates parallel with the axis of the sprocket. The upper ends of the semi-circular rails I85, I85 are secured at their upper ends, respectively, to the ends of the upper stationary rails I62, I63 and at their lower ends. to the frame of the machine.

Along the lower stretch of the conveyer 25, the can carriers are held against tipping by the engagement of the bottom plates 85 at one side with a flange I87 of the depending side plate 8d and at the other side by a flange i258 projecting inwardly from a stationa'y depending side plate I89 arranged on the side of the path of the can carriers opposite from the plate 80.

To hold the can carriers against tipping while passing around the driven sprocket wheel 28 and before being delivered onto the upper stationary side rails I82, I63, a pair of disks Ifii! suitably secured to the opposite ends of the hub of the driven sprocket wheel 23, as best shown in Fig. 3, these plates or disks extending to engage the The can discharge bottom plates 85 of the can carriers on opposite sides of the pivots 87 and hence hold them against tipping while passing around the driven sprocket.

Throughout their course in the can carriers 25, the cans 50 are prevented from slipping sidewise out from between the bottom plates 85 of the can carriers and the swinging tops 98. For this purpose the side rail I8, the front end TI of which positions the cans within the carriers, extends concentrically around the driving sprocket 27 alongside the path of the can holders and on the other side of the can holders a similar rail I9!) is provided which is secured at its upper end to posts I93 and at its lower end to the plate I89. The depending side plates 85 and I89 serve to retain the cans in the carriers along the lower stretch of the conveyer chain 25. Around the driven sprocket 28, the cans are prevented from moving sidewise out of the holders by a pair of curved rails ISA, these being secured at their lower ends, respectively, to the plates I85 and 8!) and at their upper ends to posts I96. The cans are prevented from falling from the can carriers while traversing upper stretch of the conveyer chain 26 by horizontal extensions of the upper ends of the curved rails I94.

In the operation of the apparatus the open cans, empty or filled with the vegetables to be packed, are placed upon the upper stretch of the can feeding conveyer These cans are conveyed toward the screw 50 against which they pile up, the cans being pressed against the side of the screw by the spring 15. The rotation of the screw 69 picks up one can at a time between its convolutions and since the screw is inclined the cans are moved laterally into the can conveyery 25 on the conveyer chain 23. The screw 60 is rotated in timed relation to the movement of the chain 25 so that the transfer of each can into the can carriers by the enlarged portion 14 of the screw 68 which contains the cam groove 13 is effected with the can in proper registry with the corresponding can carrier. The final positioning of the can is effected by the cam extension 11 of the rail "I8.

The endless conveyer chain 25 is moving in the same direction as the feeding conveyer 5i and when each can carrier 25 reaches the point of can transfer by the screw 50 the swinging top 98 of the empty can carrier is permitted to tip slightly to the position shown in Fig. 6. This tipping is permitted by the dip HI in the guide rail 15? which supports the swinging top members 98 in a generally horizontal position during the feeding into and discharge of cans from the can carrier. The swinging top 98 tips to the position shown in Fig. 6 on encountering the dip III by reason of the swinging top member 98 being heavier on that side which is formed to provide the lip I133.

The tipping of the swinging top member 98 to the position shown in Fig. 6 is for the purpose of facilitating the insertion of the can between the base plate 85 of each can carrier and the swinging top 93. During this transfer of each can into the can carrier by the screw 6! the can carrier is held upright and its base plate 85 in a horizontal position by the two stationary side rails I62 and IE3 which support the bottom surface of the base plates 85 on opposite sides of the pivot pin 81. As the can carriers with the contained cans travel around the driving sprocket 2'1, this position of the can carriers 25 the initial part of the Y i is maintained by the semicircular side rails I85 and I86 which engage the undersides of the base plates 85 on opposite sides of the pivot pins 8'! as the carriers travel around the periphery of this driving sprocket 21. The cans are also prevented from sliding out sidewise from between the base plates 85 and swinging top members 98 of the can carriers when passing around the driving sprocket by the side rails 13 and I92.

On traversing the lower stretch of the chain 26, the can carriers are prevented from swinging about their pivots 81 by the engagement of the base plates 85 of the can carriers with the inwardly projecting flanges l8! and I88 of the depending side plates and I89. These plates also prevent the cans from sliding out sidewise from between the base plates and the swinging top members 98 of the can carriers. During the continued movement of the can carriers around the driven sprocket wheel 28, the can carriers are prevented from swinging about their pivots 81 by the engagement of their base plates 85 with the side disks I90 on the shaft of this sprocket wheel and the cans are prevented from sliding sidewise out of the can carriers by the curved side rails I94. On entering the upper stretch of the conveyer chain 25, the rollers of this chain are engaged by the horizontal bar IGI and the opposite sides of the base plates 85 of the can holders are engaged by the side rails I55, I66 so as to prevent the cans from tipping while traversing the upper stretch of these belts. The regulated tipping of these bottom plates 85, while passing the upper stretch of the chain 26 and under nipples (not shown) supplied with liquid from the reservoir I54 is a part of the subject matter of my said parent patent application Serial No. 345,480.

The continued movement of the can carriers along these side rails I62 and I53 brings the cans into engagement with the cam face H5 of the bracket I6, this face pushing the cans out of the can holders onto the can discharge wheel H6. When this can discharging is effected the lug I06 is engaged by the elevated part III) of the side rail ID! so that the swinging top 98 of the can carrier 25 from which a can is being ejected is held in a substantially horizontal position and prevented from cooking or interfering with the free discharge of the can by the cam H5 onto the discharge wheel H6. After being emptied the lug "35 of the can carrier drops into the depression Ii! of the rail I91 so as to tip the swinging top 98 of the can carrier to the position shown in Fig. 6, thereby to facilitate the feeding of another can into the carrier. This is the position of the parts assumed at the beginning of the description of the operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a very simple and eificient transfer device for positively transferring cans one at a time from a congestion of the cans on a feeding belt to individual can carriers on a conveyer and that the transfer is effected without danger of mutilating the cans or spilling any contents thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine of the character described, a conveyer, a series of can carriers mounted on said conveyer and means for feeding cans sideways into said can carriers in timed relation to the movement of said conveyer comprising an angularly disposed screw having an enlarging spiral thread leading to an enlarged discharging portion, said enlarged portion being provided with a spiral groove of rapidly diminishing depth and forming a continuation of the groove of said spiral thread, means for rotating said screw in timed relation to said conveyer whereby the cans received in said groove of rapidly diminishing depth are transferred individually into said can carriers, and means for feeding the cans to the leading end of said screw.

2. In a machine of the character described, a horizontal conveyer, a series of can carriers mounted in spaced relation on said conveyer, a horizontal feeding conveyer arranged alongside said first conveyer, means for moving said conveyers in the same direction and means for transferring cans sidewise from said feeding conveyer to said can carriers in timed relation therewith, comprising a horizontal screw which is angularly disposed across the path of the cans on said feeding conveyer, said screw having an enlarging spiral thread leading to an enlarged discharging portion at one end disposed adjacent the path of said can carriers, said enlarged portion being provided with a spiral groove of rapidly diminishing depth and forming a continuation of the groove of said spiral thread,

and means for rotating said screw in timed relation to said first conveyerwhereby the cans received in said groove of rapidly diminishing depth are transferred individually into said ca carriers.

3. In a machine of the character described, a conveyer, a series of can carriers mounted on said conveyer and means for feeding cans sideways into said can carriers in timed relation to the movement of said conveyer comprising an angularly disposed screw having an enlarging spiral thread leading to an enlarged discharging portion, said enlarged portion being provided with a spiral groove of rapidly diminishing depth and forming a continuation of the groove of said spiral thread, means for rotating said screw in timed relation to said conveyer whereby the cans received in said groove of rapidly diminishing depth are transferred individually into said can carriers, means for feeding the cans to the leading end of said screw and a stationary cam arranged alongside of said conveyer adjacent the said enlarged discharging portion of said screw and engaging said cans to complete the insertion of said cans into said can carriers.

WILLIAM or: BACK. 

